Presidential Election Abuses by

Rajapaksas

12/04/2015

is amidst an impending parliamentary

election that more details of abuses and irregularities at the January presidential
election are now emerging. A shocking revelation is how the assets of Sri Lanka Air
Force (SLAF) were allegedly used like a local taxi service by former President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, his family members and a few onetime ministers during the
presidential election campaign. Helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were allegedly used
and abused at their will and pleasure. At the end of it all, no payments have been
made to the SLAF for these flights. The costs of these flights, an SLAF source said,
would run into millions of rupees which the taxpayers would have to meet. The source
said all the costing had been done from the point from which the aircraft or helicopter
took off until it returned to the same location. In the case of helicopters, they left the
SLAF base in Ratmalana and often landed in Colombo to pick up the VVIPs and VIPs.
Our costing procedure includes the point of origin, locations visited and the return to
where the flight took off from, said the source who did not wish to be identified. He is
barred from officially talking to the media.
It

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa used different types of helicopters and Chinese
built Y-12 passenger transport aircraft on 71 flights during the period December 1,
2014 to January 9, 2015. All these flights, barring the last, were to take part in election
rallies though a few were linked to official engagements. Of course, one might argue
these flights were enjoyed by a serving President since he is also the Minister of
Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Yet, the question remains
whether it was both ethical and fair when his rival Maithripala Sirisena was not
permitted to use the SLAF assets. Yet, there were others who were not entitled to this
privilege but have taken free rides on SLAF helicopters. One such case is Namal

Rajapaksa, MP.
Others included, former ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Wimal Weerawansa, Susil
Premjayantha, North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, and a
person identified only as S. Manamendra who went on an unpaid Bell 412 helicopter
flight from Ratmalana to Colombo, Ginigathhena, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
There were also SLAF flights used by the then first lady, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, for
which payments have not been made. One such flight on December 12 last year,
shocking enough, was from Ratmalana to Maharagama and back, not more than five
kilometres.
Namal Rajapaksa, the son of former President Rajapaksa, made 25 flights during this
period. SLAF records seen by the Sunday Times confirm that no payments for these
flights had been made until yesterday. As the Parliament is set to debate the 19A next
week, there is little doubt that dissolution will not be on April 23 the deadline set by
the UNP. Of course, the UNP has agreed to allow a short extension. However, UNP
leaders feel the longer it takes the worst it would be for the party politically. With many
pledges made during the presidential election campaign yet unfulfilled, both the
Presidency and the UNP-dominated Government have come in for strong public
criticism. Even if he is finding it difficult to control the SLFP parliamentarians, President
Sirisena sits pretty. He will enjoy more powers than what he thought when he was
elected. But the prospects of a rapid re-emergence of Mahinda Rajapaksa, plotting
and planning his next move, should remain a worry for the incumbent President as he
gradually loses his grip on his MPs.
SLAF Harbin Y-12
Abuse of SLAF: Sky was the limit for the Rajapaksa family; millions not paid
The Sri Lanka Air Force is yet to receive payments for flights offered to members of
former President Mahinda Rajapaksas family and former Ministers of his Government.
The rates were charged from the point of departure of the aircraft/helicopter from the
SLAF base in Ratmalana. Until yesterday the SLAF has not received any payments for
these flights. Here are some of those who took the flights:
Namal Rajapaksa MP
December 1, 2014 SLAF Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Mattala and return to Ratmalana.
December 3, 2014 SLAF Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Koggala,
Tangalle, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 7, 2014 SLAF Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Tangalle, Wellawaya, Hambantota, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 9, 2014 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana to Mattala,
Bandaranaike International Airport and return to Ratmalana.
December 11, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Ratnapura, Kandy, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 12, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Hambantota, Wellawaya, Hambantota, Koggala, Bandaranaike International Airport

and return to Ratmalana.

December 14, 2014 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana to
Katunayake, Anuradhapura, Bandaranaike International Airport and return to
Ratmalana.
December 15, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Ratnapura and return to Ratmalana.
December 16, 2014 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana, Mattala,
and return to Ratmalana.
December 17, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Palavi,
Mannar, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 21, 2014 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft from Ratmalana, Vavuniya and
return to Ratmalana.
December 22, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Galgamuwa and return to Ratmalana.
December 24, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Tangalle,
Koggala, Tangalle, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 25, 2014- Y12 Harbin transport aircraft from Ratmalana to Ampara.
December 26, 2014 Y12 Harbin transport aircraft to fly from Ampara and return via
Katunayake to Ratmalana.
December 27, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Deraniyagala and return to Ratmalana.
January 1, 2015 Bell 412 to fly from Ratmalana to Koggala, Tangalle, Kurunegala
and return to Ratmalana.
January 2, 2015 Bell 212 helicopter to fly from Hingurakgoda to Kekirawa,
Aralaganwila and return to Hingurakgoda.
January 4, 2015 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana to
Kankesanthurai (Jaffna), Mattala and return to Ratmalana.
January 5, 2015 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Wirawila, Makandura,
Colombo, Kaduwela, Nattandiya and return to Ratmalana.
January 6, 2015 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Medamulana,
Koggala and return to Ratmalana.
January 6, 2015 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana to Mattala and
Anuradhapura. Night Stop.
January 7 2015 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Anuradhapura, Wellawaya
and return to Ratmalana.
Basil Rajapaksa, former Minister of Economic Development
December 13, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Kurunegala, Kegalle and return to Ratmalana.
December 15, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Ratnapura, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
December 16, 2014 Mi- 17 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Vavuniya,
Jaffna and Palaly.
December 16, 2014 Harbin transport aircraft Y 12 to fly from Ratmalana to Palaly
and return to Ratmalana.
December 17, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,

Wennappuwa, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.

December 18, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Matale,
Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
January 8 2015 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Medamulana, Koggala, Medamulana, Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
SLAF Bell 412
Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa
December 7, 2014 Mi-17 helicopter from Colombo to Matale, Pallekele, Kandy and
return to Ratmalana.
December 8, 2014 Mi-17 helicopter from Colombo to Kandy and return to Colombo.
December 10, 2014 Mi-17 helicopter from Ratmalana to Maharagama and return to
Ratmalana.
December 12, 2014 Mi-17 helicopter from Tangalle to Colombo
January 2, 2015 Mi-17 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Naula and
return to Ratmalana.
January 3, 2015 Mi-17 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Badulla, Colombo and
return to Ratmalana.
January 4, 2015 Mi-17 helicopter to fly from Colombo to Kurunegala and return to
Colombo.
Wimal Weerawansa, former Minister of Housing and Construction
December 20, 2014 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft to fly from Ratmalana, Ampara
and return to Ampara.
December 21, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Moneragala, Wellawaya, Buttala and Koggala and return to Ratmalana.
December 21, 2014 Harbin Y 12 from Ratmalana to fly to Koggala and return to
Ratmalana.
January 1, 2015 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Kandy,
Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
January 2, 2015 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Kandy, Kantale, Sigiriya
and return to Ratmalana.
January 2 2015 Harbin Y 12 transport aircraft from Ratmalana to Hingurakgoda and
return to Ratmalana.
January 5 2015 Mi 17 transport helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo,
Wirawila, Matara, Ambalangoda, Matugama and return to Ratmalana.
Susil Premajayantha, former Minister of Environment and Renewable Energy
December 30, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, China
Bay, Kantale, Valachchenai and Hingurakgoda. Night stop.
December 31, 2014 Bell 412 helicopter to fly from Hingurakgoda to Ampara,
Colombo and return to Ratmalana.
January 2, 2015 Mi-17 helicopter to fly from Ratmalana to Colombo, Palaly, Jaffna,
Vavuniya, Mannar and return to Colombo.
Posted by Thavam